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A gene that regulates serotonin predicts how our emotions impact on our relationships. Researchers have found that allele, the gene variant called 5-HTTLPR, affects relationship fulfilment.

The study found that participants with two short 5-HTTLPR alleles were least happy in their marriages when there was a lot of negative emotion and the most happy with there was positive emotion. Whereas participants with one or two long alleles were less affected by the emotional status of their marriage.

Around 17% of the spouses in the study had two short 5-HTTLPR alleles and within that group there was a strong connection between the emotional nature of their interactions and how they related to their marriages. While the remaining 83% displayed no correlation between emotions in their conversations and marital satisfaction.

The researchers stressed that the findings do not represent compatibility of individuals but instead show that those with two short alleles are more likely to benefit from a good relationship and suffer the negative consequences of a bad one.